Robbie Williams has confirmed that his upcoming album 'BRITPOP' was delayed to avoid competing with Taylor Swift's 'The Life Of A Showgirl'. The admission came during an intimate London show on October 9, where Williams performed the album in full.
Originally scheduled for release on October 10, 'BRITPOP' was pushed back to February 6 next year. At the time, Williams' team cited 'scheduling changes', but fans speculated the delay was to avoid Swift's album, which came out a week earlier. During the show, Williams told the crowd: 'We're all pretending it's not about Taylor Swift, but it fucking is. You can't compete with that.'
Williams explained his desire for a 16th UK number one album, which would see him overtake The Beatles as the UK artist with the most chart-topping albums. 'I want 16 Number One albums. Taylor then decided to put her album out the same weekend as me,' he said. After considering moving the release to the following week, he learned Swift would release deluxe editions, and Oasis might also be releasing music. 'Let's do it in fucking February when no one's got an album out,' he concluded.
Swift's 'The Life Of A Showgirl' has received mixed reviews, including a three-star rating from NME, with some fans calling it her 'worst' record. Swift has defended the album, stating she is unbothered by criticism and focused on legacy.
